2-7 Infantry conducts readiness exercise for Atlantic Resolve

By CourtesyApril 6, 2015

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Task Force 2-7 Infantry Soldiers assigned to Company C, "Team Cold Steal," move along Route Bradley, April 4, 2015, in Latvia testing the maintenance readiness of its vehicles. To foster relations with our NATO allies in the region, 1st Armor Brigade... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

ADAZI TRAINING AREA, Latvia (April 6, 2015) -- Working through steady winds and freezing rain, the Soldiers of Task Force 2-7 Infantry "Cottonbalers" executed a battalion-wide Readiness Exercise at local training areas in Poland, Latvia, and Estonia, April 4. The readiness exercise was the battalion's culminating event for its deployment operations into countries along NATO's eastern flank.

TF 2-7 Infantry has spent the last three weeks moving into its Atlantic Resolve training locations after deployed from Fort Stewart, Georgia - home of the 3rd Infantry Division.

Designed to prepare the task force for future training operations, the readiness exercise also gave the unit the opportunity to evaluate its readiness and ability to respond to movement orders.

Task Force 2-7 Infantry battalion commander, Lt. Col. Chad Chalfont, spoke of his unit's readiness to execute Atlantic Resolve: "Our task force is highly trained and we have the best equipment in the world. More importantly, we have very motivated Soldiers who are eager train with our allies and work with them to strengthen the NATO alliance."

During the readiness exercise, each company progressed through a different scenario.

In Estonia, Troop A moved out from motorpool areas to secure key terrain in the local training area.

In Latvia, Company C conducted a tactical road march and tested the maintenance readiness of its vehicles.

In Poland, Companies D and Headquarters moved to a notional ammunition supply point and evaluated unit sustainment systems.

"I continue to be impressed by our Soldiers' commitment to train and maintain a high level of readiness," Chalfont said. "Our readiness exercise gives us an opportunity to evaluate where we stand as a Task Force, while getting ready for the great training that lies ahead."

Over the next three months, the Cottonbalers of TF 2-7 Infantry will execute Atlantic Resolve in the countries of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. Atlantic Resolve is a series of training exercises designed to strengthen the NATO alliance and to provide reassurance to the nations along NATO's eastern flank.

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